Abandoned Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tonasket, Washington 98855
Wednesday, December 15, 1993 16:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CHECKED THE FUEL GAUGES AND 'DIPPED' THE FUEL TANKS, BUT HE DID NOT USE A CALIBRATED FUEL TANK QUANTITY DEVICE. DURING CRUISE THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON AN ABANDONED DIRT AIRSTRIP WHICH HAD PATCHES OF ICE ON IT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE PILOT OVERSHOT THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, LANDED LONG, AND SLID OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. FACTORS INCLUDE AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND AN ICY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/15/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City TONASKET
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98855
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ABANDONED AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1914
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 15 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61215
NTSB Number SEA94LA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15070892
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 210
Airframe Hours 3937
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TONASKET FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1307
Aircraft Owner City TONASKET
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98855
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S97
Departure City BREWSTER
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --